The Museum of the City of Antequera (MVCA) will host a scientific day on July 9 about current research on the Dolmens of Antequera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On Thursday, July 9, the Museum of the City of Antequera (MVCA) will become the epicentre of megalithic knowledge with the celebration of the Scientific Day “The Dolmens of Antequera: Current Scientific Research”. The event, which will start at 09:30, will bring together prominent specialists to review the main advances in the study of the Dolmen Site, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
A date with the last 15 years of research
The Councillor for Culture and Historical Heritage, José Medina Galeote, and the Deputy Mayor for Tourism, Commerce and World Heritage, Ana Cebrián, presented the day on Wednesday, July 1. Medina explained that the initiative aims to be a “contribution” to the reflections surrounding the Dolmens, especially as the tenth anniversary of their declaration as a World Heritage Site approaches.
“The last 15 years of scientific research have reinforced the uniqueness of Antequera as a city known worldwide and peculiarly unique,” highlighted Medina. The day will cover topics from the construction of the Dolmen of Menga to the mobility of populations in the 4th and 3rd millennia BCE in the Vega de Antequera.
Top-level speakers
The day will be led by Leonardo García Sanjuán, a professor at the University of Seville and one of the leading specialists in Antequera megalithism. Also participating will be José Antonio Lozano Rodríguez, Judit Praena García, José Ruiz Flores, Luis Efrén Fernández Rodríguez, Marisa Cisneros García, and Raquel Montero Artús.
Among the topics to be discussed are archaeological surveys at Peña de los Enamorados, the tomb of Piedras Blancas, the settlements of Arroyo Saladillo and Huerta del Ciprés, and the presence of the dolmens in the medieval period. The research, driven by the ATLAS Group of the University of Seville, has renewed knowledge about the chronology, social practices, and monumental landscape of the site.
Precursor to the tenth anniversary
Ana Cebrián emphasized that this day will act as a “precursor” to the commemorative programming for the tenth anniversary of the declaration of the Dolmens as a World Heritage Site. For this anniversary, the City Council of Antequera, the Archaeological Ensemble of the Dolmens of Antequera, and the Ministry of Culture of the Junta de Andalucía are working together.
“It will serve to contextualize the universal exceptional value of the Dolmen Site and highlight the work of the specialists who have researched these monuments and their landscape for years,” stated Cebrián. The day is open to the public, who will be able to learn firsthand about the results of the research projects from the State Plan for Scientific, Technical, and Innovation Research.
For the residents of Antequera, this event represents a unique opportunity to get closer to the secrets of monuments that have stood in their land for millennia. Admission is free until capacity is reached, and it is recommended to arrive early to secure a place.
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